Kitchen Device Comprising Two Body Parts

ABSTRACT

A kitchen device includes a first body part, to be fixedly mounted, a second body part, mobile in relation to the first body part, and a locking mechanism for locking the second body part in a locked position. In order to provide a kitchen device of the aforementioned kind that can be flexibly adapted to the space available in a kitchen, the locking mechanism is adjustable.

The invention relates to a kitchen device according to the preamble ofclaim 1 and to a method for installing a kitchen device according to thepreamble of claim 11.

Kitchen devices, for example chimney-type kitchen extractor hoods, areknown which comprise two body parts that are mounted movably relative toeach other. A first body part is provided for permanent installation,for example in a fitted kitchen, whereas the second body part is mountedto be displaceable relative to the first body part. It is furthermoreknown that kitchen devices of this type comprise a locking mechanism forlocking the second body part in a locking position.

The object of the invention consists in particular in providing ageneric kitchen device which can be flexibly adapted to the spaceavailable in a kitchen. The object of the invention also consists indeveloping a method for installing a kitchen device of said type. Theobject is achieved according to the invention by the features recited inclaim 1, while advantageous embodiments and developments of theinvention can be derived from the dependent claims.

The invention relates to a kitchen device, in particular a kitchenextractor hood device, comprising a first body part provided forpermanent installation, comprising a second body part which can be movedrelative to the first body part, and comprising a locking mechanism forlocking the second body part in a locking position.

It is proposed that the locking mechanism is embodied to be adjustable.In this way it can be ensured that the kitchen device can be adapted bymeans of a suitable adjustment of the locking mechanism to conditions inthe kitchen and/or to individual preferences of a user. In addition ahampering of the work in a kitchen comprising the kitchen device due toan unfavorable configuration of the kitchen device can be avoided.

Because of the necessary adaptability to a depth of a countertop, to adepth of fitted cabinets and/or to the size of a user, the advantages ofthe kitchen device according to the invention take effect in particularin connection with kitchen extractor hood devices, for example extractorhoods or chimney-type extractors, which are provided for positioningabove a stove top.

A component mounted on rollers is also to be referred to as “movable” or“displaceable” in this context. The second body part can be embodied interms of its construction to be particularly easily movable in arectilinear manner, but in principle can also be embodied to be movablein a curvilinear manner. The locking mechanism can be adjustable before,during or after the installation of the kitchen device.

In a development of the invention it is proposed that the lockingmechanism has a locking

means which forms a stop element for limiting a range of movement of thesecond body part. By this means it can be reliably avoided that thesecond body part can be shifted into an unfavorable configuration.

If the locking mechanism comprises at least two retainers for a lockingmeans, each of which is assigned to a locking position, the lockingposition can be particularly conveniently defined by inserting thelocking means into one of the retainers. The locking position can be anintermediate latching position or a final locking position. The lockingposition can define the configuration of the kitchen extractor hooddevice in an inserted position and/or in a withdrawn position.

Soiling of the retainers can be avoided if the kitchen device has atleast one lining means for lining one of the retainers, or particularlyadvantageously both retainers. The lining means can also advantageouslyprotect a guide mechanism for guiding a displacement movement of the twobody parts from kitchen vapor.

An unintentional displacement of the second body part from the lockingposition can be avoided if the locking mechanism comprises at least onelatching means for arresting the second body part in the lockingposition. A convenient releasing of the locking mechanism can beachieved if the latching means can be released from the arrestingmechanism against a latching force of a few Newtons in a displacementdirection.

A reliably adjustable locking mechanism can be achieved if the lockingmechanism comprises a first locking means disposed on the first bodypart and a second locking means disposed on the second body part. Thetwo locking means can be shaped to fit the body parts as well as securedto the body parts. A soft stop can be achieved if at least one of thelocking means is produced from an elastic plastic material.

A particularly space-saving and constructionally simple kitchen devicecan be realized if the second body part can be displaced relative to thefirst body part in a horizontal direction.

A lighting that is adjustable to the configuration of the kitchen devicecan be integrated into the kitchen device if the second body partcomprises at least one retaining means for retaining a lighting device.An orientation of spotlights of the lighting device can be changedeither manually or by positive control as a function of a position ofthe second body part.

User friendliness can be further increased if the second body part isprovided such that it can move in at least one direction automaticallyrelative to the first body part. In this case the kitchen device canparticularly advantageously comprise a resetting means for resetting thesecond body part to a home position or, as the case may be, to aninserted configuration. A user can then move the second body part intothe home position simply by a pushing action. A spring can be used as aconstructionally particularly simple resetting means.

The invention is also based on a method for installing a kitchen devicecomprising a first body part provided for permanent installation,comprising a second body part which is displaceable relative to thefirst body part, and comprising a locking mechanism for limiting a rangeof movement of the second body part.

It is proposed that the range of movement of the second body part is setin an adjustment step. This enables an advantageous adaptation of thekitchen device to the space conditions available in a kitchen comprisingthe kitchen device and/or to individual preferences of a user of thekitchen device.

Further advantages will emerge from the following description of thedrawing, which shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention. Thedrawing, the description and the claims contain numerous features incombination. The person skilled in the art will also expedientlyconsider the features individually and combine them to form usefulfurther combinations.

The figures show:

FIG. 1 a kitchen extractor hood device having a two-part, retractablebody in a locking position in an oblique view from above,

FIG. 2 the kitchen extractor hood device from FIG. 1 in an oblique viewfrom below,

FIG. 3 the kitchen extractor hood device from FIGS. 1 and 2 in a homeposition in an oblique view from below,

FIG. 4 the kitchen extractor hood device from FIGS. 1-3 in a view frombelow,

FIG. 5 a section of the kitchen extractor hood device from FIGS. 1-4having a locking mechanism and having a lining means that has beenremoved,

FIG. 6 the section from FIG. 5, with a first body part of the two-partbody being represented transparently,

FIG. 7 the section from FIGS. 5 and 6, with a carrier element beingrepresented transparently,

FIG. 8 a locking means of the locking mechanism from FIGS. 5-7,

FIG. 9 a further locking means of the locking mechanism from FIGS. 5-7,

FIG. 10 a part of a guide mechanism of the kitchen extractor hood devicefrom FIGS. 1-9 in a schematic sectional representation,

FIG. 11 the part of the guide mechanism from FIG. 10 in a perspectiveinternal view of a second body part,

FIG. 12 a carrier element as well as two guide rails of the guidemechanism from FIGS. 10 and 11,

FIG. 13 the kitchen extractor hood device from FIGS. 1-12 in a schematicsectional representation in a home position,

FIG. 14 the kitchen extractor hood device from FIGS. 1-13 in a schematicsectional representation in a middle position during a withdrawalmovement,

FIG. 15 the kitchen extractor hood device from FIGS. 1-14 in a schematicsectional representation in a fully withdrawn locking position,

FIG. 16 the kitchen extractor hood device from FIGS. 1-15 in a schematicsectional representation in a middle position during an insertionmovement,

FIG. 17 the kitchen extractor hood device from FIGS. 1-16 in an obliqueview from below during a withdrawal movement,

FIG. 18 the kitchen extractor hood device from FIGS. 1-17 in an obliqueview from below in the locking position,

FIG. 19 the kitchen extractor hood device from FIGS. 1-18 in an obliqueview from below during an insertion movement,

FIG. 20 a cover element of the kitchen extractor hood device from FIGS.1-19, and

FIG. 21 a spacer element of the kitchen extractor hood device from FIGS.1-20.

FIG. 1 shows a kitchen device embodied as a chimney-type extractor hoodor, as the case may be, a kitchen extractor hood device for installationon a wall of a kitchen above a stove top that is not shown here. Thekitchen extractor hood device has essentially the shape of ahorizontally lying, flat block comprising, and on top of which isplaced, a rectangular extractor duct 40 in which a fan 42 and variousfilter elements 44 are disposed. The fan 42 is provided for the purposeof drawing in vapor from an area underneath the kitchen extractor hooddevice.

The block-shaped lower area of the kitchen extractor hood device forms atwo-part body 80 which comprises two body parts 10, 12. The first bodypart 10 is permanently connected to the extractor duct 40 and in theinstalled state is also permanently connected to a wall of the kitchencomprising the kitchen extractor hood device. The second body part 12 ismovably mounted on the first, fixed body part 10 via a total of fourguide rails 46, 46′, 70, 70′.

In the installed state the second body part 12 encloses or, as the casemay be, grips around the first, fixed body part 10 in all directionswhich are transverse relative to a direction 30 pointing in thedirection of a kitchen wall. The second body part 12 also covers thefirst body part 10 in a direction 30′ opposite to the direction 30 suchthat the second body part 12 forms a front elevation 48 on which isdisposed a control panel 50 comprising a plurality of control elementsembodied as pushbuttons. A user of the kitchen extractor hood device canactuate the fan 42 and a lighting device 34 (FIG. 2) of the kitchenextractor hood device via said control elements. Directions of movementare both the direction 30 and the direction 30′ opposite to thedirection 30.

The first body part 10 comprises, as an essential component, a carrierplate which, in the installed state, is secured horizontally to thewall. The second body part 12 forms in total all the external sides72-78 of the body 80 that are aligned transversally to the direction ofmovement 30, specifically a top side 72, an underside 78 and sidesurfaces 74, 76. The second body part 12 therefore also covers with itstop side 72, in particular in the inserted state, a top side 128 and afront side not explicitly shown here or, as the case may be, a side ofthe first body part 10 facing away from the direction 30.

The top side 72 of the second body part 12 has a U-shaped cutout 86which in the home position receives the extractor duct 40. If a usermoves the second body part 12 in the direction 30′ in a withdrawalmovement 102, then after a displacement of 100 mm the edge of the cutout86 slides over the front edge of the first body part 10, with the resultthat the edge of the cutout 86 and the front edge of the first body part10 define a rectangular opening 84. The kitchen extractor hood devicecomprises a cover element 82 which is movable or displaceable relativeto the two body parts 10, 12 and which serves to cover the opening 84.

The underside 78 of the second body part 12 is formed by a replaceablefilter element 52 which, in an inserted state which corresponds to ahome position, forms a part of an underside of the body 80 which iscompleted on the side by two strips 54, 54′ in which retaining means32-32″′ embodied as round holes are provided for retaining the lightingdevice 34 (FIGS. 2 and 3). The lighting device 34 is composed of fourhalogen spotlights which are manually adjustable in their orientation.

The second body part 12 is movable in the direction 30 or, as the casemay be, in the direction 30′ opposite to the direction 30. The top side72, the front elevation 48, the side surfaces 74, 76 and the strips 54,54′ of the second body part 12 are formed as one piece as astamped-and-bent sheet metal part produced from a stainless steel sheet,as a result of which the second body part 12 has an easy-to-cleanstainless steel surface.

FIG. 4 shows an interior space of the kitchen extractor hood devicecomprising a further filter element 52 and an interior lining of thefirst, fixed body part 10. The interior lining has a smaller liningmeans 24 which is latched in an easily releasable manner in the interiorlining. The lining means 24 serves to cover a locking mechanism 14 andto protect it from water vapor or fumes, said locking mechanism 14serving to lock or latch the second body part 12 in the locking positionor final position and for variably limiting a range of movement 38 ofthe second body part 12 in the manner of an adjustable stop element.

FIG. 5 shows the locking mechanism 14 with the lining means 24 removed.In a carrier element 56 made of sheet metal are disposed two retainers20, 22, arranged offset horizontally with respect to one another andembodied as T-shaped cutouts, into which a locking means 16 can beinserted during the installation of the kitchen extractor hood deviceand which are each assigned, in a manner described below, to a lockingposition or final position and serve to limit a magnitude of the rangeof movement 38.

In the configuration shown, the locking means 16 is inserted into theretainer 22, which is covered as a result. When the locking means 16 isinserted into the retainer 20, it forms an end stop which limits therange of movement 38 in such a way that a total depth of the body 80 inthe locking position or final position is 550 mm, whereas the totaldepth amounts to 600 mm when the locking means 16 is inserted into theretainer 22. If the locking means 16 is inserted into neither of theretainers 20, 22, the range of movement 38 is limited by an end stopintegrated into the guide rail 46 with a final latching action and alatching means 90 and the total depth in the locking position equals 650mm. This allows the installer to choose between three different totaldepths or, as the case may be, locking positions and to adapt thekitchen extractor hood device to the conditions in a particular kitchenor, as the case may be, to the preferences of a user.

In order to insert the locking means 16 embodied as a locking pin intothe retainer 22, said locking means 16 is initially introduced into thetop, transverse part of the T shape of the retainer 22 and then pressedvertically downwards, thereby causing the locking means 16 to becomeclamped via a groove 58 (FIG. 8) in a lower, bar-shaped part of the Tshape of the retainer 22. The locking means 16 essentially consists of abase 64 which, in the inserted state, comes to rest against the carrierelement 56 and prevents the locking means 16 sliding through theretainer 22, and of a part 62 projecting into a space between the firstbody part 10 and the second body part 12 and having the function of alocking pin. The part 62 has a cross-section which tapers in thedirection of the carrier element 56 and generates a clamping effectbetween the locking means 16 and the carrier element 56.

The carrier element 56 is part of the first, fixed body part 10 and isconnected to the latter. The same therefore applies in the insertedstate for the locking means 16. Likewise permanently connected to thecarrier element 56 is a first, fixed part of the guide rail 70 known perse, the second, movable part of which is connected to the second,movable body part 12. The two parts of the guide rail 70 are mountedmovably relative to one another via rollers which are not shown here.

Adhesively bonded to an inside of the external, second body part 12 is afurther locking means 18 which is embodied as a latching lug and whichcorresponds to the locking means 16 in that both locking means 16, 18produce a latching connection between the first body part 10 and thesecond body part 12 (FIGS. 6 and 7).

If a user raises the kitchen extractor hood device in the direction 30′,the locking means 18 moves toward the locking means 16 until the part 62of the locking means 16 which has a fish-shaped cross-section andprojects into the space between the body parts 10, 12 engages with a tip60 into a central gap 66 of the locking means 18, which central gap hasa slightly smaller width than the fish-shaped cross-section in the areaof its body 26 (FIGS. 8 and 9). The body 26 forms a latching means forlatching the second body part 12 in the locking position or finalposition. The gap 66 widens out in a funnel shape at the end facingtoward the locking means 16 or facing away from the direction 30, whichmakes it easier to introduce the tip 60 into the gap 66 and widen thegap 66 due to a wedge shape of the body 26 and is also suited forcompensating for assembly tolerances.

Both locking means 16, 18 are manufactured from elastic plasticmaterials and deform in such a way that the body 26 inserts itself intothe gap 66 in the direction 30. In the middle, the gap 66 has a latchingmeans embodied as a widening 28, into which the body 26 snaps in placewhen the locking position is reached. A T-shaped end area 68 of the part62 then butts against the locking means 18 and, by applying a latchingforce, prevents the locking means 16 from being able to slide completelythrough the gap 66. The side walls of the locking means 18 are weakenedexternally in the area of the widening 28 in order to increasedeformability in the transverse direction.

If the user inserts the second body part 12 using the latching force inthe direction 30, the body 26 slides out of the widening 28 and thelatch connection is released.

On the side opposite the guide rail 46, the kitchen extractor hooddevice has a similar guide rail 46′ which is symmetrical to the guiderail 46. Said two symmetrical, laterally disposed guide rails 46, 46′serve for guiding the second body part 12 in a horizontal and arecompleted by a third guide rail 70 and by a fourth guide rail 70′ whichserve for guiding vertically. Also integrated into the guide rail 46 inaddition to the latching means 90 is a resetting means 36 (not shownhere explicitly), embodied as a ramp with a spring-loaded roller, whichautomatically resets the second body part 12 in the direction 30 to ahome position or, as the case may be, to a fully inserted position. Thespecification of a vertical position is intended to be designated inthis context as guiding in the horizontal.

The guide rails 46, 46′, 70, 70″ form a guide mechanism 88 composed oftwo symmetrical parts, the left part of which in a frontal viewcomprises the guide rails 46, 70 and is represented schematically inmore detail in FIG. 10. The description is restricted to the illustratedleft part of the guide mechanism 88 and can be applied analogously tothe mirror-symmetrical right part of the guide mechanism 88.

From the inside, an angled carrier element 92 embodied from elasticsheet metal is glued into the outer covering, embodied as astamped-and-bent part, of the second body part 12, which carrier element92 is aligned parallel to the direction of movement 30 and to which theguide rails 46, 70 are secured from the inside. The guide rail 70, whichis provided for guiding the movement of the second body part 12vertically, is secured here to a horizontally aligned side piece 94 ofthe carrier element 92, said side piece 94 being adhesively attached tothe second body part 12, while the guide rail 46, which is provided forguiding the movement of the second body part 12 horizontally, is securedto a free, vertically aligned side piece 96 of the carrier element 92.The vertical side piece 96 is elastically deflectable in a horizontaldirection normal to the direction of movement 30, with the result that atolerance compensation is achieved (FIG. 10).

FIG. 11 shows the arrangement of the carrier element 92 in the second,movable body part 12 and also a housing part 110 disposed behind thefront elevation of the second body part 12 and in which electroniccomponents of the control panel 50 are disposed. In addition to theguide rails 46, 70, the locking means 18 is also secured to the carrierelement 92 (FIG. 12).

FIGS. 13-16 show the kitchen extractor hood device in a highlyschematized sectional representation. In the home position (FIG. 13) thefilter element 52 which is connected to the second, movable body part 12lies beneath a filter element 118 which is identical in design to thefilter element 52 and is connected to the first, fixed body part 10.

If a user pulls the second, external body part 12 by 100 mm in thedirection 30′, a driver element 108 embodied as a folded-over edge ofthe cutout 86 comes into contact with a corresponding driver elementembodied as the slider element 114 on the cover element 82 (FIG. 14).

The cover element 82 is freely movable both relative to the first bodypart 10 and relative to the second body part 12, but in normal operationalways rests against one of the driver elements 106, 108 of anentrainment device 98, with the result that movability is provided inone of the directions 30, 30′ in each case.

If the user continues the commenced withdrawal movement 102, theentrainment device 98 comprising the driver element 108 carries thecover element 82 with it in the direction 30′ during an end part of theextraction movement 102 until the locking position is reached (FIG. 15).In the locking position the filter element 52 forms a front part of theunderside 78 of the body 80, while the filter element 118 forms a rearpart of the underside 78 of the body 80, with the result that bothfilter elements 52, 118 essentially cover the entire depth of the body80.

The end part of the withdrawal movement 102 accounts for at most half ofthe entire withdrawal movement 102, the exact amount being dependent ona choice of the locking position or on the insertion position of thelocking means 16. The fully withdrawn configuration shown in FIG. 15 canonly be reached without the locking means 16 being inserted andcorresponds to a latching configuration of the latching means 90 of theguide rail 46.

If the user pushes the second body part 12 starting from the lockingposition in an insertion movement 104 in the direction 30, an inner edgeof the housing part 110 which forms the driver element 106 of theentrainment device 98 comes up against the cover element 82 100 mmbefore the end of said insertion movement 104 (FIG. 16).

If the user continues the commenced insertion movement 104, theentrainment device 98 or, as the case may be, the driver element 106carries the cover element 82 with it during an end part of the insertionmovement 104 in the direction 30 until the home position is reached(FIG. 13). The end part of the insertion movement 104 accounts for atmost half of the insertion movement 104, the exact amount beingdependent on a choice of the locking position.

FIGS. 17-19 show the kitchen extractor hood device in differentconfigurations during an insertion movement 104 and a withdrawalmovement 102 in an oblique view from below. For the sake of clarity, thefilter elements 52, 118 are not shown.

Disposed in the first, fixed body part 10 are two stop elements 112,112′, embodied as slots, which guide a movement of the cover element 82and limit a freedom of movement 100 of the cover element 82.

For this purpose spacer elements 116, 116′ are snapped into place inside slots of the cover element 82 which is embodied as a panel-shapedsheet metal part, said spacer elements ensuring a spacing between thecover element 82 and the first, fixed body part 10 and making it easierfor the cover element 82 to slide over the first body part 10. Thespacer elements 116, 116′ comprise a head 120, which is snapped intoplace in the slots on the cover element 82, and a spacer sleeve 122 witha central aperture 126 (FIG. 21) into which pins 124, 124′ are pressedby force fitting during installation, and in which the slots of the stopelements 112, 112′ also engage. The slider element 114 facilitates arelative movement between the cover element 82 and the second body part12 and at the same time seals off the kitchen extractor hood device froman exterior space.

List of Reference Numerals

10 Body part

12 Body part

14 Locking mechanism

16 Locking means

18 Locking means

20 Retainer

22 Retainer

24 Lining means

26 Body

28 Widening

30 Direction

32 Retaining means

34 Lighting device

36 Resetting means

38 Range of movement

40 Extractor duct

42 Fan

44 Filter element

46 Guide rail

48 Front elevation

50 Control panel

52 Filter element

54 Strip

56 Carrier element

58 Groove

60 Tip

62 Part

64 Space

66 Gap

68 End area

70 Guide rail

72 External side

74 External side

76 External side

78 External side

80 Body

82 Cover element

84 Opening

86 Cutout

88 Guide mechanism

90 Latching means

92 Carrier element

94 Side piece

96 Side piece

98 Entrainment device

100 Freedom of movement

102 Withdrawal movement

104 Insertion movement

106 Driver element

108 Driver element

110 Housing part

112 Stop element

114 Slider element

116 Spacer element

118 Filter element

120 Head

122 Spacer sleeve

124 Pin

126 Aperture

128 Top side

1-11. (canceled)
 12. A kitchen extractor device comprising: a bodyincluding a first body part adapted to be mounted in a fixed manner to asupport structure and a second body part displaceably mounted relativeto the first body part, the second body part being displaceable inmotion relative to the first body part along a displacement directionfrom a rearward position into a forward position and being displaceablymovable relative to the first body part along a direction opposite tothe displacement direction from the forward position into the rearwardposition; and a locking mechanism for releasably locking the second bodypart in a locking position relative to the first body part, the lockingmechanism having adjustability of release to permit displacementmovement of the second body part and lockable to lock the second bodypart in a selected position relative to the first body part.
 13. Thekitchen device as claimed in claim 12, wherein a locking mechanism hasat least one locking means which forms a stop element for limiting arange of movement of the second body part.
 14. The kitchen device asclaimed in claim 13, wherein the locking mechanism comprises at leasttwo retainers for a locking means, each of which is assigned to alocking position.
 15. The kitchen device as claimed in claim 12 andfurther comprising at least one lining means for lining one of theretainers.
 16. The kitchen device as claimed in claim 13, wherein thelocking mechanism comprises at least one latching means for latching thesecond body part in the locking position.
 17. The kitchen device asclaimed in claim 13, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a firstlocking means disposed on the first body part and a second locking meansdisposed on the second body part.
 18. The kitchen device as claimed inclaim 12, wherein a second body part is displaceable relative to thefirst body part in a horizontal direction.
 19. The kitchen device asclaimed in claim 18, wherein the second body part comprises at least oneretaining means for retaining a lighting device.
 20. The kitchen deviceas claimed in claim 18, wherein the second body part is provided suchthat it can move in at least one direction automatically relative to thefirst body part.
 21. The kitchen device as claimed in claim 12 andfurther comprising a resetting means for resetting the second body partto a home position.
 22. A method for installing a kitchen devicecomprising: in a body of the kitchen device including a first body partadapted to be mounted in a fixed manner to a support structure and asecond body part displacebly mounted relative to the first body part,the second body part being displaceably movable relative to the firstbody part along a displacement direction from a rearward position into aforward position and being displaceably movable relative to the firstbody part along a direction opposite to the displacement direction fromthe forward position into the rearward position and a locking mechanismfor releasably locking the second body part in a locking positionrelative to the first body part, the locking mechanism being adjustablyreleasable to permit displacement movement of the second body part andlockable to lock the second body part in a selected position relative tothe first body part, displacing the second body part relative to thefirst body part; and actuating the locking mechanism to lock the secondbody part in a selected position relative to the first body part afterdisplacing the second body part relative to the first body part